2023 Ingredient trends for food, drinks, dietary supplements, and natural products

The future of CBD and other cannabinoids depends on responsible manufacturing and research

Vitamin and mineral products that target specific health needs are driving category sales

It takes about ten years for mulberry trees to produce fruit from the seedling stage.

https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/fruits/mulberries

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Fun fact! It takes about ten years for mulberry trees to produce fruit from the seedling stage.

A long wait for mulberries

Cannabidiol (CBD) is here to stay. That seems to be the consensus about the ingredient, which after years of immense growth saw demand screech to a halt when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Now that the market has returned to relative normalcy, we can see that CBD is still in demand, and seeing realistic growth. After all, multiple years of triple-digit growth are unsustainable for any ingredient.

According to data from SPINS (Chicago), in 2022 CBD was among the top-25 bestselling ingredients in the U.S. natural supplements channel, with $34 million in sales; however, this amounts to a 15% decline in sales compared to the previous year. Within the pain and inflammation category of the natural channel, CBD saw a 23% decline in sales in 2022 but still remains one of the bestselling ingredients in the category for the channel, ranking above boswellia. CBD also saw an 11% increase in the sleep category and a 6% increase in the mood-support category of the natural channel in 2022. In the U.S. mainstream supplements channel, CBD saw 40% growth in the sleep category, with just over $2 million in sales.

Clearly, there is still a need for CBD in the market, and consumers are buying CBD products. On top of that, the hemp-derived-cannabinoid market, of which CBD is a leader, is growing to accommodate emerging cannabinoids derived from hemp. These are often referred to as minor cannabinoids because they occur naturally in hemp, but in much smaller quantities compared to CBD.

“In terms of the interest, I do think that CBD opened the doors in many ways for some other hemp-derived products,” says Haleigh Resetar, corporate communications specialist for SPINS. “Products containing hemp have grown in categories such as body care, pet, and beverage, apart from just things that are containing CBD, and I do think we can expect to see more products utilizing hemp.”

Don’t miss the January episode of The Nutritional Outlook Podcast in which we interview Scott Dicker and Haleigh Resetar of SPINS about all of our editors’ picks for 2023 Ingredients to Watch.

While CBD continues to perform, and the hemp-derived-cannabinoid space grows, these products still make some manufacturers and retailers nervous because their legal status remains up for debate. CBD, for example, cannot lawfully be a dietary ingredient, according to FDA, because it has already been studied and approved for use as a drug. This means it falls under the drug preclusion clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). It’s unclear whether other cannabinoids fall under drug preclusion because pharmaceutical companies do not have to publicly disclose investigational new drugs.

The good thing is that FDA has been exercising enforcement discretion on CBD and cannabinoid products, meaning that as long as you are not making any illegal claims, the agency is unlikely to target you. However, FDA continues to send companies warning letters when they see fit. Most recently, 

 to companies selling food and beverage products containing CBD. In the warning letter, FDA stated that it was not “aware of any basis to conclude that CBD is GRAS for use in conventional foods.”

This is likely frustrating for some brands who went out of their way to do toxicology testing and achieve an independent conclusion of GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) so that their ingredient can be used in food and beverage products. John Endres, ND, chief scientific officer at AIBMR Life Sciences (Seattle, WA), a scientific and regulatory consultant that has evaluated the safety of a 

 for an independent conclusion of GRAS, takes umbrage with the idea that there is no evidence for the safe consumption of CBD products.

“There were five [toxicological] studies that we did,” explains Endres. “They’re the same five tox studies that we do any time there is a novel ingredient for which there are no tox studies. [The results were] published, as required for GRAS, in the public domain, and AIBMR has a perfect track record, getting no questions for the not-required-by-law notification for GRAS to the FDA.”

Companies are not required by law to notify FDA of GRAS conclusions, and while CV Sciences did not report its conclusion to FDA, the extract was held to the same high standards of any ingredient AIBMR investigates, and the results were made public for all to see. Therefore, to say there is no evidence of safety is inaccurate in Endres’s opinion. In fact, other brands like Charlotte’s Web and HempFusion have gotten their own independent conclusions of GRAS, and Validcare (Denver, CO) has conducted 

 that determined there was no evidence of liver toxicity after 30 days of consumption of hemp-derived-CBD products.

When Charlotte’s Web and Irwin Naturals 

submitted new dietary ingredient notifications to FDA

 in 2021 for their hemp-derived-CBD products, the agency not only cited drug preclusion but also a lack of adequate safety evidence. So, there’s a pattern here.

Does that mean the companies that spent the money on independent GRAS conclusions did so for naught? Not quite.

“It is important to note that the general recognition of safety doesn’t mean that 100% of all experts must agree,” explains Ashish Talati, partner, Amin Talati Wasserman LLP. “There can certainly be difference in opinion as long as the majority of the qualified experts in the field believe it is safe. Also, FDA has not taken any further action, and CBD has been widely consumed for several years now. If there was a big safety issue then I believe FDA would have reacted differently.”

It can be discouraging, but this statement by FDA should not necessarily prevent companies from seeking an independent GRAS conclusion. “I believe that companies that have invested in the safety studies and completed self-GRAS are better prepared for any future regulatory requirements and will have a head start compared to their competitors,” says Talati.

“As a company you would be foolish to think you don’t need to do anything,” adds Endres. “Don’t just sit around and do nothing. Start to investigate the safety, because it’s typical that the industry is way ahead of the government. The government’s always lagging behind, and that’s what’s happening.”

Head start for what? Well, the fact is that FDA or Congress must do 

 about CBD and other cannabinoids. The market has matured to the point where FDA is unable to take any meaningful enforcement actions against sellers. State patchworks attempt to regulate these products, but the regulatory environment remains messy. Even states that have legalized cannabis don’t know what to do with hemp-derived CBD and other cannabinoids.

“I believe FDA has realized that they have waited on the sidelines for a little too long. As it was recently reported [by 

], FDA is planning to make recommendations on how to regulate CBD in food and supplements. We believe that will happen sometime this year,” says Talati. “It’s a mess. In some states, recreational cannabis products are widely available, but supplements are still not officially legal due to FDA’s position.”

FDA concludes that CBD needs its own regulatory pathway separate from dietary supplements and food. 

What the regulatory road will look like is unclear, but 

 that CBD needs a new regulatory pathway and that the existing framework for food and supplements is not appropriate. Once again, the agency cited its concerns about safety of long-term use and the need for additional safeguards such as CBD content limits and a minimum purchase age to mitigate risk of CBD ingestion by children.

 This means that recently introduced legislation designed to revise the FD&C Act to exempt CBD and other hemp-derived cannabinoids from the drug preclusion clause may no longer be possible based on new recommendations from FDA. (

So, the lack of regulatory clarity continues, but we are seeing a clearer picture of what to expect from FDA and Congress as to how they will approach CBD and other cannabinoids. What does this mean for manufacturers? Well, swim at your own risk. FDA hasn’t done anything particularly meaningful about CBD products on the market for years, but that may change once a regulatory pathway is devised. However, this process in and of itself may take years, so the market will likely continue to grow. What is clear, however, is that responsible industry should continue to manufacture consistent, safe products that don’t make illegal claims. Additionally, research on the efficacy and safety of hemp-derived CBD and other cannabinoids should continue to establish evidence of safe use and provide FDA with as little ammunition as possible to impose burdensome restrictions on this category in the future.

Krawiec, S. New Study Demonstrates Safety Profile of CBD on Multiple Endpoints, Including Liver Function, Testosterone Levels, and Daytime Drowsiness. 

 May 18, 2022. Accessed January 26, 2023. 

https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/new-study-demonstrates-safety-profile-of-cbd-on-multiple-endpoints-including-liver-function-testosterone-levels-and-daytime-drowsiness

Krawiec, S. Validcare Shares Results of CBD Safety Study With FDA. 

. April 2, 2021. Accessed January 26, 2023. 

https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/validcare-shares-results-of-cbd-safety-study-with-fda

Woodcock, J. FDA Concludes that Existing Regulatory Frameworks for Foods and Supplements Are Not Appropriate for Cannabidiol, Will Work with Congress on a New Way Forward. FDA Statement. January 26, 2023. Accessed January 26, 2023. 

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-concludes-existing-regulatory-frameworks-foods-and-supplements-are-not-appropriate-cannabidiol

CBD is an established product that is paving the way for other hemp-derived cannabinoids. However, regulation remains a big if for the category.

CBD and other cannabinoids are still in play, but responsible manufacturing and research are important for the category’s future: 2023 Ingredient trends for food, drinks, dietary supplements, and natural products

Jennifer Grebow is the editor-in-chief of 

, an award-winning media-content provider in the dietary supplement and natural products market. 

, an MJH Life Sciences brand, provides insights and industry updates critical to manufacturers of dietary supplements, healthy foods, and nutritious beverages. 

 keeps industry abreast of current market trends, research updates, news, and regulatory developments. 

goes beyond the 24-hour news cycle and provides in-depth analysis to help industry players navigate the challenges and changes in the near- and long-term. 

, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

Clasado Biosciences (Berkshire, UK) has granted exclusive rights to Stratum Nutrition (Carthage, MO) to distribute Clasado’s Bimuno GOS galactooligosaccharide prebiotic ingredient in the U.S. and Canadian markets.

In a press release, Frederic Narbel, vice president of B2B sales at Clasado, stated, “With consumer interest in prebiotics accelerating across North America, the future of health and nutrition formulation is an exciting area for microbiome-modulating products.”

Micah Osborne, Stratum’s CEO, added, “We are in the age of gut health innovation, and the commercial potential of prebiotics is significant. Their stability also makes them suitable for a wide range of applications. No longer are they exclusively used in supplements but increasingly in functional food and beverages. We are pleased to add Bimuno GOS to our ingredient portfolio as it aligns with our scientific values, and we look forward to supporting our customers in formulating their own prebiotic product ranges.”

Stratum now has exclusive rights to distribute Clasado Biosciences’ Bimuno GOS in the U.S. and Canadian markets.

Stratum Nutrition gains exclusive distribution rights for Bimuno GOS prebiotic in U.S. and Canada

Nonprofit research and education organization the American Botanical Council (ABC; Austin, TX) announced that Josef Brinckmann has been elected as president of its board of trustees. Brinckmann has long been involved with ABC, having authored or coauthored more than 60 articles for ABC’s 

peer-reviewed quarterly journal. He has also served on ABC’s advisory board since 2006 and received the ABC Champion Award in 2017.

Brinckmann has more than 40 years of experience in the herb and medicinal plant industry. Says an ABC press release: “An expert on global sustainable sourcing of botanical ingredients, good agricultural and collection practices, medicinal plant conservation, and medicinal plant quality assurance, Brinckmann has authored many articles on sustainability and quality in scientific journals, including the 

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Economic Botany, 

“ABC is deeply grateful to have someone of Josef’s extensive experience and profound commitment to medicinal plants as the President of the ABC Board of Trustees,” said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of ABC, in the press release. “I have known Josef for nearly 45 years, and I have always appreciated and respected his deep, wide, and detailed knowledge of medicinal plants. Josef is an internationally recognized expert on the quality of botanical raw materials as well as their sustainable sourcing and development.”

Brinckmann will serve as the president of the board of trustees for the nonprofit research and education organization the American Botanical Council.

Josef Brinckmann elected president of American Botanical Council’s Board of Trustees

Photo Credit © Jiri Hera - Stock.adobe.com

 form Janet Woodcock, MD, principal deputy commissioner for the office of the commissioner at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Agency has reached the conclusion that “a new regulatory pathway for CBD is needed that balances individuals’ desire for access to CBD products with the regulatory oversight needed to manage risks.” This means that FDA does not believe that the existing regulatory frameworks for foods and supplements are appropriate for cannabidiol (CBD). As such, FDA has also denied three 

 (NPA; Washington, D.C.) that have asked the Agency to conduct rulemaking that would allow CBD to be marketed as a dietary supplement.

FDA is citing concerns about safety of long-term use when it comes to liver function and the male reproductive system, as well as the need for additional safeguards such as CBD content limits, and minimum purchase age to mitigate risk of ingestion by children. “The FDA’s existing foods and dietary supplement authorities provide only limited tools for managing many of the risks associated with CBD products,” the statement reads. “Under the law, any substance, including CBD, must meet specific safety standards to be lawfully marketed as a dietary supplement or food additive.”

As a result of this conclusion, recently introduced 

 the FD&C to exempt CBD and other hemp-derived cannabinoids from the drug preclusion clause may no longer be possible based on new recommendations from FDA. The Agency has long rejected CBD as a dietary ingredient because under existing regulation, it falls under drug preclusion, meaning that because a pharmaceutical company is investigating it as a drug, it cannot be used as a dietary ingredient. If the laws were changed, or FDA changed its rulemaking to exempt CBD from drug preclusion, nothing should prevent it from going through the same channels as other novel ingredients.

“The first takeaway is that FDA did not come out and say CBD products currently sold in the market should be removed or that CBD products are dangerous. They acknowledge that there is room for CBD products in the marketplace,” explains Ashish Talati, partner, Amin, Talati, Wasserman LLP to 

. “What the industry was hoping for FDA to say is that they will initiate rulemaking to allow marketing of CBD products. Instead, the agency kicked the can so to speak and said a new regulatory pathway is needed for CBD. I don’t think a new regulatory pathway is needed as all the risk management reasons that FDA gave such as prevention of contaminants, CBD content limits etc. can be adequately addressed via existing regulations aimed at ensuring the safety and quality of products.”

Industry is staunchly expressing its disappointment in FDA’s decision, taking issue with its claims of inadequate safety and robustness of the current frameworks to regulate CBD.

“We were extremely disappointed today with the FDA’s announcement concerning the regulation of CBD. When it comes to the safety of CBD, the FDA gets it wrong,” says Jonathan Miller, general counsel of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, in a press release. “Contrary to the FDA’s continued assertions regarding the safety of CBD, there is clear, established evidence of safety over the years. CBD products have been sold at retail for nearly a decade with no significant safety issues. The Roundtable recently met with the FDA and shared a broad range of safety studies showing that standard CBD serving sizes are safe, while the FDA continues to rely on pharmaceutical studies that show risk at significantly larger doses that are not commonly found in CBD products sold at retail.”

A number of brands have conducted toxicological studies to achieve an independent conclusion of GRAS (generally recognized as safe), including 

“It seems that no level of safety evidence will be good enough for FDA,” says Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN in his own statement. “During the last four years, FDA has repeatedly disregarded evidence demonstrating safety that is relevant to CBD at the levels commonly used in supplements and continues to rely heavily on safety concerns related to high dosage Epidiolex to support the agency’s inaction.”

Industry advocates are also criticizing FDA’s years of inaction, only to ask Congress to act. “FDA has had ample time to consider scientific evidence and develop a regulatory pathway for CBD within the existing legal framework,” states Mister. “Since Congress enacted the 2018 Farm Bill, FDA’s inaction and indecision have frustrated consumer interest in having safe and beneficial CBD products available to them and allowed a ‘gray’ CBD marketplace to emerge without meaningful oversight. The agency’s ‘punt’ to Congress, asking it to intervene after four years, is a further disservice to consumers and responsible industry.”

“This is an astonishing dereliction of duty, especially compared to the agility and professionalism the agency showed it was capable of during the pandemic,” says Daniel Fabricant, president and CEO of NPA. “After more than a decade of promises, hearings, data sharing, market proliferation, and states filling the regulatory vacuum, the FDA’s Dietary Supplement Office claims it cannot do what Congress authorized, which is to regulate dietary supplements under the law.”

Industry agrees that existing regulations under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C) are comprehensive enough to address FDA’s concerns. “FDA noted that a new regulatory pathway would benefit consumers by providing clear labels, prevention of contaminants, CBD content limits, and limits on use in certain populations—all this can and should be addressed through the existing dietary supplement NDIN process once FDA creates a legal pathway for CBD in dietary supplements,” says Mister.

“With all of these tools in place as part of the existing, well-established pathways, the FDA’s decision is unwise,” states Miller. “To the extent FDA believes its current resources are not sufficient to implement and enforce existing requirements, the Roundtable supports additional appropriations to assist FDA in its compliance efforts.”

"FDA cannot – via a citizen petition response – undermine the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act’s direction and authority to initiate rulemaking to address the exclusory provisions and to let the New Dietary Ingredients (NDI) notification pathway serve its essential function, which is to require sponsors to demonstrate the safety of new ingredients before going to market. Therefore, we have concerns about FDA’s sweeping action today and the precedent it sets for future NDI submissions," said Scott Melville, president and CEO of CHPA, in a statement. "There is a legal process to evaluate the safety of new dietary ingredients, and this is not it. We look forward to working with Congress to explore modernization of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) and to ensure that the NDI process works as was originally intended.”

Advocates also questions the logic of FDA’s arguments. If the question of CBD’s legality as a dietary ingredient hinges on the drug preclusion clause, then why is safety a factor in its consideration? Without drug preclusion CBD should be able to go through the NDIN process like any other novel dietary ingredient. “In essence, FDA is saying ‘it is because we say it is’—without support for that view in the statute,” says Mister. “As we have continued to point out, nothing is stopping FDA from using its rulemaking authority for CBD, other than FDA itself. Instead, FDA suggests Congress must fix this issue when FDA has had the authority to address it all along.”

The fear for industry is that devising an alternative regulatory pathway for CBD and other cannabinoids would give FDA new and far-reaching authority.

“When you read between the lines of today’s FDA statement, the agency appears to be saying that it would prefer to defy and attack DSHEA and develop different regulatory paths for ingredients at its own discretion,” says Fabricant. “That could include requiring premarket approval, unnecessary testing, or who knows what. That is an especially dangerous precedent not only for CBD but for the entire natural products industry and ingredients like hemp that clearly fall under the agency’s jurisdiction.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reached the conclusion that “a new regulatory pathway for CBD is needed that balances individuals’ desire for access to CBD products with the regulatory oversight needed to manage risks.” 

FDA concludes that CBD needs its own regulatory pathway separate from dietary supplements and food

Multivitamins and multiminerals stay relevant to consumers not because they are one-size-fits-all but because of their potential for convenient personalization. This can be accomplished by either formulating the product with a health focus or through the addition of added-value ingredients that allow the consumer to target specific needs such as cognitive health or even beauty. “Consumers are always looking to simplify their routines,” explains Haleigh Resetar, corporate communications specialist for SPINS (Chicago). “Instead of having to take three to five different vitamins or supplements every day, they want one that is all-inclusive and personalized to what they are going to get out of it. And I think companies are really starting to pick up on this.”

“We have seen that the trend for experienced dietary supplement consumers is to choose multivitamins that are targeted to their lifestyle and health status,” concurs Irfan Qureshi, vice president of product development and quality assurance for Healthy Directions. “So rather than the shotgun approach of including everything in a product, using vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional ingredients that a particular target consumer group has an increased need for resulted in better take rates for our products.”

“The multivitamin category has evolved from formulas simply designed to fill nutritional gaps into a range of more-complete, gender- and age-specific formulas to support a range of targeted health benefits, including energy production, stress support, immune [health], and cardiovascular health,” adds Eric Cohen, senior brand manager, Private Brands, The Vitamin Shoppe.

Market research provided by SPINS indicate that in 2022, within the U.S. mainstream supplements channel, sales of multivitamins for men and women grew 60% and 42%, respectively, in the cognitive health category. Sales of multivitamins for women grew 65% in the mainstream hair, skin, and nails market. This seems to indicate that consumers are choosing multivitamin products that carry cognitive health and hair, skin, and nail claims, seeking specific outcomes in addition to supporting their overall health.

Recent research supports the theory that multivitamins have their own cognitive health benefits. Published in 2022, an ancillary study

 of the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) found that while cocoa extract did not demonstrate any significant effect on global cognition in subjects, multivitamin supplementation did, and this effect was more pronounced among subjects with a history of cardiovascular disease.

The addition of a well-known cognitive health ingredient may create a more desirable multivitamin product because it will conjure an immediate association with cognitive health.

Multivitamin products that offer additional benefits are not just convenient but also economical, explains Resetar. Consumers are motivated by options that reduce their costs without necessarily having to sacrifice their wants and needs.

“Some of the growth we’re seeing in these multivitamins may also have to do with inflation and some of that economic uncertainty that’s going on right now,” she states. “It’s driving consumers who may have previously bought many of these different supplements to change their focus to one that can get them everything they need, in kind of a bang-for-your-buck product. And I think that’s how we’re going to continue to see this evolving as companies see that’s what consumers are looking for in the future.”

Multimineral products have seen particularly large sales growth, with a 123% increase in the mainstream U.S. supplements channel in 2022 and 23% growth in the natural channel. It’s well known that specific minerals, like zinc, saw immense growth during the pandemic due to their potential to support immune health. Now that COVID-19 has become less of a concern, zinc is no longer in such high demand, but consumers appear to see the value in minerals more broadly.

“With the pandemic, consumers were looking for more zinc, and that’s something that has carried over even to these most recent years. Zinc and magnesium are tried-and-tested minerals that many consumers have continued to go back for, and that sort of set them on a path to be like, ‘I’ve heard of all these other minerals. I’ve seen these other benefits that they claim. How can I expand my horizons and maybe include these in my routine?’” states Resetar. She adds: “I do think zinc was a little bit of a gateway for many of these consumers. The pandemic also just made consumers overall take a closer look at their health and wellness and everything that was going on and realize that many of them are probably lacking in minerals.”

The pandemic offered many lessons, chief of which was the importance of one’s health. While priorities shifted with the advent of vaccinations that resulted in the end of lockdowns and masking requirements, it’s clear that consumers still value vitamins and minerals as a way to maintain good health. Placing less emphasis on immunity, consumers are utilizing supplements to support fitness goals and mental health to improve one’s quality of life, says Resetar, and with a growing emphasis on performance, consumers will turn to a diverse range of supplement categories.

“As we look into 2023, we do think that bone health is going to be one of those categories to watch and one of those that is going to see some serious growth because of the growth that we saw in the performance category,” Resetar explains. “All of these people who are starting to increase their workouts, increase their exercise, are going to soon have to start looking for products that support their bone and joint health to supplement the additional impact they’re having on their bodies.”

In 2022, the combination of vitamins A, D, and K in the mainstream U.S. bone-health supplement market saw 140% sales growth, and vitamin K on its own grew 13% and 11% in the mainstream multioutlet and natural channels, respectively.

When it comes to specific minerals, magnesium saw double-digit sales growth across multiple categories in the U.S mainstream supplements channel in 2022—specifically, 14% and 20% growth in the bone and sleep categories, respectively. In the natural supplements channel, magnesium saw 103% sales growth in the bone health category, as well as 14%, 28%, 11%, and 23% growth in the cardiovascular, cognitive, sleep, and mood categories, respectively.

The diverse range of benefits magnesium offers makes it a go-to for consumers. “Magnesium sales continue to grow because of its broad range of benefits, including muscle relaxation, stress support, energy production, and cardiovascular support, which attract a wide range of customers,” says Cohen. Magnesium is also highly complementary to ingredients such as vitamin D, which acts as a cofactor for enzymes that metabolize vitamin D so that the vitamin can help regulate calcium and phosphate homeostasis to support the growth and maintenance of bones.

These trends in the vitamins and minerals category seem to be a canary in the coal mine for the potential growth we may see in the bone health category.

“I’m actually bullish on joint health…for the next year, and bone health as well,” affirms Scott Dicker, senior market insights analyst for SPINS. “I think with so many people being active, we’re [still] seeing an aging population [and] people being sedentary during the day, even if they’re more interested in performance as a hobby. I think joint and bone are going to be the big winners of the next health focus shift.”

Vitamins and minerals remain a winning prospect for dietary supplement manufacturers. It just depends on how you use them.

Baker, L.D.; Manson, J.E.; Rapp S.R., et al. Effects of Cocoa Extract and a Multivitamin on Cognitive Function: A Randomized Clinical Trial. 

Uwitonze, A.M.; Razzaque, M.S. Role of Magnesium in Vitamin D Activation and Function. 

Vitamins and minerals, particularly multivitamin and multimineral formulations, are growing as consumers seek cost-effective ways to personalize their nutrition.

Vitamin and mineral products that target specific health needs are driving category sales: 2023 Ingredient trends for food, drinks, dietary supplements, and natural products

NOW’s virgin-plastic bottle next to its new PCR-plastic bottle. Photo from NOW.

Supplements brand NOW announced that some of its dietary supplement bottles will now be made of 100%-postconsumer-recycled (PCR) resin. “Based on supplement bottle production in 2022, NOW estimates over 3 million pounds of plastic will be diverted for use in PCR bottles used by the company in the first year alone,” the firm’s press release states.

NOW says that the transition to PCR bottles “will be rolled out initially to every product in the extensive supplement line currently packaged in white bottles, with sports nutrition, pet supplements, and personal care lines to follow.” The company says customers may notice some variations in the color of the PCR bottles, which it says is normal for this material.

The company performed extensive testing for nearly two years before adopting the PCR bottles. “NOW performed quality testing and a sophisticated leaching study prior to making this change, taking nearly two years to make sure that bottle quality would not be inferior or cause any quality issues,” the press release says. The company performed oxygen permeability testing, water vapor permeability testing, leaching testing, and microbial testing. The company says the PCR bottles “performed as well as or better than virgin-resin PET bottles.”

“This has been a long learning process for us but an investment that we feel is very important as it supports our sustainability efforts,” said Kim Perkins, NOW’s vitamin brand manager, in the press release. “We reviewed multiple options in this process, from glass and aluminum to HDPE, because we wanted to maintain our quality standards while also reducing the impact on cost. PCR allows us to reuse recycled packaging materials and lighten our footprint on the earth. We have also joined the Association for Plastic Recyclers specifically to stay up to date on new recycling initiatives to continue to reduce our waste in the future.”

The company performed extensive testing over two years to ensure the PCR bottles performed as well as or better than virgin-plastic bottles.

NOW switches to postconsumer-recycled supplement bottles

Ingredients supplier Solabia Group (Paris) has acquired a majority stake in BioActor B.V. (Maastricht, the Netherlands), which develops clinically evaluated polyphenol extracts from edible plants and fruits.

A press release states, “Solabia is already present in the nutrition segment through original ingredients recognized for their health benefits, including Algatech’s microalgae-derived active ingredients. This strategic investment will allow Solabia to benefit from a wider range of ingredients and from BioActor’s expertise, strengthening its nutrition division positioning [in] this fast-growing market as customers increasingly look for high-quality active ingredients that combine naturality with proof of efficacy.”

BioActor will continue to focus on R&D and product development, with the companies stating that “BioActor will become a center of excellence for innovation and clinical research within Solabia’s nutrition division…”

BioActor develops clinically evaluated polyphenol extracts from edible plants and fruits.

Ingredients supplier Solabia acquires majority stake in BioActor

Jnanadeva Bhat, PhD, is head of formulation R&D (Pharma & Nutra) at 

. Bhat has been associated with the pharmaceutical industry for more than two-and-a-half decades. As a product formulator, he has worked on various dosage forms that include tablets, soft gelatin and hard capsules, injectables, and lyophilized formulations. At ACG, he heads the formulation R&D lab where he primarily leads new product development projects and customer interface.

Manali Dalvi, lead, white papers, formulation R&D (Pharma and Nutra), is part of the Capsules R&D team at 

. Her primary responsibilities include writing and publishing scientific research articles and developing segmented solutions and technical content as part of thought-leadership programs. She is also involved in all of the company’s industry- and institute-related collaborations and research activities.

Nutraceuticals are gaining popularity as an effective tool for maintaining health as public awareness of the advantages of health supplements grows. According to market analysis, the global nutraceutical segment is anticipated to increase in value from $450 billion in 2021 to $746 billion by 2028, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 8.8%.

A variety of products are now included within the nutraceutical category. Companies are implementing new delivery systems to further expand their nutraceutical ranges. Many are taking inspiration from pharmaceutical manufacturing and adapting these innovative techniques for the delivery of nutraceutical products.

Tablets and capsules are the most common formats for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical oral delivery systems. Currently, these formats are undergoing different modulations. In particular, many are adapting one of the most appealing technologies used in controlled drug delivery: pelletization.

Pelletization has attracted a great deal of attention across the sector. It is now being applied to nutraceuticals in the same way as pharmaceuticals, to alter the release pattern of formulations.

The pelletization process formulates active ingredients in free-flowing spherical beads, granules, or pellets, which can be coated to provide the required modified-release properties. Additionally, this process offers numerous other benefits to manufacturers, including the ability to combine incompatible components in a single dosage form.

There are different methods for pelletizing active ingredients, including: extrusion spheronization, fluidized bed coating, dry powder layering, and spray congealing.

The pellets prepared in the process are either made directly from the active nutraceutical ingredients (ANI), or they can be base pellets that act as a vehicle for later stacking of active material. A product may comprise 90% of the ANI along with the additives, or base pellets.

Two types of base pellets are used for stacking. The first are neutral starter pellets, which are inert and usually used to avoid interaction with the ANI. Examples include sugar spheres, MCC (microcrystalline cellulose) spheres, wax-based spheres, silicon dioxide spheres, lactose-starch/lactose-cellulose spheres, and rice-based spheres. The other type of base pellets are functional starter pellets that actively promote formulations by enhancing the ANI’s solubility, dissolution, and stability.

Pellet preparation enables the formulator to alter the product’s properties and release pattern. It is possible to incorporate immediate- and controlled-release delivery mechanisms in pellets by using fast-disintegrating pellets and pellets coated with different polymers, respectively. For ingredients with poor solubility, pellet techniques help to deliver the desired effect by combining excipients that enhance solubility—for example, curcumin pellets. Additionally, it is possible to achieve sustained release by coating the pellets, as in the example of caffeine pellets.

The most effective way to deliver pellets in the smallest container is in capsules. Many nutraceutical manufacturers adapt the capsule dosage form to deliver their product, as it provides better tolerance over other dosage forms. Capsules also serve as site-specific and prolonged-delivery systems. For example, sustained-release caffeine pellets in a hard capsule can slowly release caffeine into the body over a prolonged period, offering a sustained release of the caffeine’s effect.

There are further examples of active nutraceutical ingredients formulated in pellets and encapsulated in hard capsules which are currently on the market. These include:

Pellets generally offer an advantage over other oral dosage forms, in the effective administration of multiple incompatible materials at the same time. It is possible to combine two or more release patterns in one capsule as pelletization is adopted. Additionally, it is feasible to incorporate two types of pellets with the different ANIs—in their active form alongside liquid in a single capsule.

The demand for manufacturing technologies that overcome formulation issues such as stability, absorption, and permeability has increased because the market requires advanced formulations. For nutraceutical products, it is difficult to add two incompatible active ingredients in a dosage form such as a tablet; however, two different pellets in a hard capsule can resolve this challenge. By doing this, a synergistic therapeutic effect can be achieved using two different types of pellets. Nutraceutical formulations with combination fills may come in the form of liquid + pallets or liquid + capsules, allowing two incompatible active ingredients to be combined and have a synergistic effect.

In particular, the liquid + pellet combination dosage form can produce various profiles, such as immediate release dissolved in liquid and delayed release in pellet form. For example, take a complex pellet containing vitamins A, D, E, and B. It is also possible to add two different nutraceutical pellets combined with liquid nutraceuticals for combination therapy.

Another combination-fill technique involving liquid + capsule helps to minimize stability issues. It is the most common method for combination fill and consists of one active ingredient dissolved in the carrier solvent and the other, in pellet form, enclosed in a smaller capsule that is dispersed in the liquid. For example, with vitamin A, E, and C capsules, the capsule can contain the nutraceutical active ingredient in pellet form to further aid the sustained release of the ANI.

There are definite advantages to pelletization techniques and formulation. Pelletizing active nutraceutical ingredients can help improve the efficacy of a formulation by modulating the solubility and bioavailability of lipophilic and moderately-water-soluble active ingredients. It is also possible to achieve sustained release for the active ingredient by formulating it in pellets. The therapeutic effects of the ANI can be enhanced by the pellet formulation as the pellet disintegrates in the GI system.

There are additional advantages. Nutraceuticals with an unpleasant taste can be masked in pellets to make a product more palatable and increase consumer compliance. And using colored coating material to manufacture the pellets will not only improve the appearance of the formulation but will also provide the product with uniqueness to appeal to consumers and provide brand recognition. This color mix and the aesthetic appeal of the pellet-embedded capsules can attract consumers and, in turn, support product marketing.

It is feasible to encapsulate nutraceutical pellets in gelatin (HPMC, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) or hypromellose capsules; however, HPMC is considered the better option as many of the challenges faced by nutraceutical manufacturers, mentioned below, can be overcome with these capsules.

The major challenge for nutraceutical providers is maintaining the stability of the compound and the overall aesthetic of the product. Many of the vitamins (vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid), amino acids (acetyl-L-carnitine HCl, L-arginine base), enzymes and co-enzymes, and certain minerals and their active salt forms are moisture sensitive, and HPMC capsules offer the better final product owing to its low inherent moisture content. The growing trend in vegetarian and clean-label capsules makes the HPMC capsule a safe choice.

Pelletization is a game-changing technology for the nutraceuticals market. Enabling a wide range of delivery formats, along with customer compliance, are inherent benefits making it the delivery system of choice for many nutraceutical manufacturers. This technique is leading the way to the development of novel delivery systems, which create new and emerging opportunities for the sector.

is head of formulation R&D (Pharma & Nutra) at 

 lead, white papers, formulation R&D (Pharma and Nutra), is part of the Capsules R&D team at ACG. Her primary responsibilities include writing and publishing scientific research articles and developing segmented solutions and technical content as part of thought-leadership programs. She is also involved in all of the company’s industry- and institute-related collaborations and research activities.

Growth Scope of Nutraceuticals Market Size Worth USD 745.5 Billion by 2028 at 8.8% CAGR- Industry Trends and Forecast Report by Zion Market Research. News release. PR Newswire; April 20, 2022. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/growth-scope-of-nutraceuticals-market-size-worth-usd-745-5-billion-by-2028-at-8-8-cagr---industry-trends--forecast-report-by-zion-market-research-301529003.html

Pelletization has attracted much attention across the nutraceutical sector. Experts from ACG explain why.

What is pelletization, and how is it advancing nutraceuticals and dietary supplements?

Consumers did not stop buying protein products during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to an Innova Market Insights (The Netherlands) global survey in 2022, 1 in 5 consumers said they changed their protein intake in the past 12 months, with 17% seeking high-protein products. Protein is now a key selling point. Innova reports a 10% CAGR in the number of food and beverage new-product launches making protein claims in 2017–2022. New-product protein claims are growing most in Africa/Middle East (+41%) and Europe (+26%), followed by Asia (+15%), Australasia (+12%), Latin America (+8%), and North America (+2%).

2022 ingredient-sales data from SPINS (Chicago) also show that protein purchasing didn’t decline. For instance, in the mainstream U.S. supplements channel, whey protein sales rose 25% while plant protein sales grew 12%. Similarly, in 2020 and 2021, protein sales were especially solid in the mainstream market.

Protein stays strong because it’s a nutrient everyone knows and likes. “Protein is one [ingredient] that has pretty much universal recognition among consumers,” says Scott Dicker, senior market insights analyst at SPINS. Some consumers need to learn about optimal dosages or the differences between protein types, but “no one 

Moreover, everyone views protein positively. “Protein is really the one odd macronutrient that has always had this health halo,” he continues. “The research on it is really strong when it comes to health benefits.” Other macronutrients like fat or carbohydrates, by contrast, have gone in and out of vogue over the years, being lauded some years and vilified in others.

What are some of the protein trends we’ll see in 2023?

Plant protein is one for sure. “We’ve even seen a ‘cow-less’ or animal-free whey protein,” says Rachel Jones, MS, RDN, senior vice president and chief product innovation and science officer at GNC.

Innova Market Insights sees plant proteins growing fastest in food and beverages. According to Innova, the top-five food and drink categories for plant and non-animal protein ingredients are: 1) bakery, 2) ready meals and side dishes, 3) meat, fish, and eggs, 4) snacks, and 5) meat substitutes. Pea is still the plant protein growing strongest globally. It is especially used in meat substitutes as well as in sports nutrition and dairy. Rice protein is growing in meat substitutes, sports nutrition, and cereal products. Soy is still doing well, too.

Some of the fastest-growing plant proteins are ones with smaller market share, Innova says. These include chickpea, brown rice, fava bean, mung bean (growing especially in egg substitutes), lentil, wheat, and flaxseed protein, as well as mycoprotein. Fava bean protein is gaining in sports nutrition products especially, and mycoprotein is emerging as an ingredient in spreads. Both are also used in meat substitutes.

Consumers will continue reaching for both animal and plant proteins as the number of flexitarians—consumers who eat both animal and plant products—continues to grow. At last November’s SupplySide West trade show, ingredient supplier Cargill (Minneapolis) 

 showing that flexitarians now play a bigger role in the plant-based dairy market than strict vegans or vegetarians. Many of today’s households have both animal- and plant-based dairy products in the fridge, it said.

Jones agrees. “We see protein trends being driven by consumer preference. For some, continuing to leverage animal protein will remain part of their routine, while others will shift to plant-based to take advantage of a ‘cleaner’ protein source. The good news is that the category—and companies like GNC—are diversifying their portfolio of protein products to offer unique solutions for consumers. Whether it’s whey-based, soy, plant-based, or animal, having options that allow you to try, adapt, and adopt products into your wellness routine remains important.”

Another protein trend GNC expects to see in 2023 are protein peptides. “Peptides that target specific functions and benefits in the body are gaining momentum,” Jones says. “Plus, there’s an added perk: they’re typically lower-dose than the traditional 25 grams of protein, but still generate results.”

Delivery form will also be important in 2023. “The integration of protein into functional foods is going to be big,” Jones predicts. “Consumers want to meet daily protein goals through a variety of nontraditional snacks. You can find protein-enhanced chips, cookies, brownies, pretzels, and more—no need for total reliance on powders, bars, and drinks anymore!”

Clean labels are also key. “Consumers are looking for clean-label claims—from sugar-free to gluten-free—which means what’s 

in a product can be just as important as what is,” Jones says. Within protein products, “This year, we expect to see more natural alternatives for flavors and sweeteners such as stevia, allulose, and monk fruit, and opting out of artificial additives that have gotten a bad rap in recent years.” Attributes like organic, animal welfare, and grass-fed are powerful differentiators, too, Dicker says.

He also expects precision fermentation to shake up the space. “I think this is the year you start to see a little disruption in precision fermentation for whey,” he says. “We see the first few products hitting the market. It’s not going to make a big dent this year…[but] in the next three years, I would expect it to carve out a big market share.”

The strong return of the active-nutrition market will also be a key accelerator in 2023. SPINS data show the mainstream performance-nutrition market grew almost 19% in 2022. Protein—both animal and plant—dominates ingredient sales in this category. Protein will soar as the audience for active nutrition broadens “beyond body builders to athletes, weekend warriors, yoga moms, and just anyone [who wants protein] in their morning smoothie,” Dicker says.

In short, expect more innovation. “Protein products have been a mainstay within our curated product assortment for years,” says Jones. “It remains a go-to product for many consumers, and as trends have emerged—and consumer behaviors shifted—we’ve introduced new brands, solutions, and ways to amplify intake. We offer dozens of options across our science-backed brands like GNC AMP, GNC Total Lean, and Beyond Raw to make sure consumers have the options they need as their routines change over time.”

Expect more protein innovation this year as brands cater to an expanding audience.

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